Kylie Chen, Founder and CEO
Kylie has spent numerous years living
abroad leading tours across the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. She
studied Business Strategy and International Development at the Marriott School
of Management. Further, she attended the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge
to study Social Innovation and Business Strategy and has lived in
Portugal, India, and Malawi. Her international experience and love
for authentic travel led her to found Acanela Expeditions, allowing individuals
the opportunity to immerse themselves in hands-on cultural experiences around
the world.
Each Acanela trip is designed around an
artisan(s) in a developing nation. Our artisans include women with
families who are battling against poverty, men who have lost their jobs due to
disaster or disease, and individuals who have never had the opportunity to
receive a formal education. These artists have incredible talents
and abilities in diverse areas such as culinary arts, outdoor & adventure,
art & design -- but lack the resources to share those talents with the
world. Our mission is to discover these men and women, help them develop
as individuals and artisans, and empower them to build their own sustainable
business enterprises. Our boutique expeditions incorporate instructional
classes and expert skills from our local artists, giving them a further means
to monetize their skills.
_________________________________
Erik Wolf
Erik Wolf is the founder of the World Food Travel
Association. He is a highly-sought speaker, thought leader, strategist and
consultant, in the US and abroad, on food and drink tourism issues, and is
considered the go-to food tourism industry resource for media outlets that
include CNN, the BBC, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, NBC, Forbes,
PeterGreenberg.com, Huffington Post, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
and many more. Erik has consulted to leading global brands that have included
American Express, Disney, Marriott and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. He has
regularly advised cities, regions and countries, and organizations such as
UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network gastronomy program and the UNWTO’s Gastronomy
Network. His articles, research and books have been translated into dozens of
languages.
In 2001,
Erik Wolf wrote a white paper Culinary Tourism: The Hidden Harvest.
Just two short years later, he founded the organization known as the
International Culinary Tourism Association. The Association rebranded in 2012
as the World Food Travel Association after research showed that English
speakers misunderstood the intended meaning of "culinary tourism".
Erik continues as the Association's Executive Director today.
The
Association has always been at the forefront of education, research and
trendspotting in the world's food and beverage tourism industry. In its
first 10 years, the Association hosted international conferences and regional
USA seminars and conferences. The Association also conducted the world's first
global study about food travelers in 2007, which was updated and expanded in
2010, 2013 and 2016. In 2006, the original white paper from 2001 was updated
and turned into a book, also called Culinary
Tourism: The Hidden Harvest. Then in 2014, the Association
published Have Fork Will Travel, a handbook for industry professionals that details
over 50 interrelated components of our industry, and helps all kinds of
professionals to understand what food and beverage tourism is, and how to
benefit from participating in our industry.
Over the
years, the Association has grown in its membership, scope of activities, and
visibility. Today, they shepherd a community
of nearly 50,000 professionals in 139 countries. They engage in four
primary areas of activity, namely Education; Awards & Recognition; Research
& Consulting; and Publishing. The Association is the go-to
resource for writers, videographers, producers and bloggers around the world
and has served many of the world’s major media outlets including the BBC,
Newsweek, Business Week, CNN, Associated Press and Forbes. In our nearly 20
years, the World Food Travel Association has achieved leadership status and
respect in food, beverage, tourism and hospitality circles world-wide.
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